Does your computer have a virus? So check

Windows computers sometimes receive viruses and other malware, but not every slow or bad-behaving PC is infected with malware. Here's how to check if you actually have a virus ̵

1; and if this suspicious process is dangerous or not.

What are the signs of a virus?

Poor performance, application crashes and computer crashes can sometimes be the sign of a virus or other type of malware that causes chaos. However, this is not always the case: there are many other causes of problems that can slow down your PC.

Even if your PC is working properly, it does not mean that it does not contain any malware. The viruses a decade ago were often pranks that ran wild and used many system resources. Modern malware is more likely to lurk silently and covertly in the background, trying to escape recognition so that your credit card numbers and other personal information can be tracked. In other words, modern malware is often used by criminals to make money, and well-made malware does not cause any significant PC issues at all.

Still, a sudden poor PC performance can be a sign that you have malware. Strange applications on your system may also point to malware. Again, there is no guarantee that malware is involved. Some applications open a Command Prompt window when you refresh them, so strange windows that flash on your screen and disappear quickly can become a normal part of the legitimate software on your system.

There is no consistent evidence to look for without actually scanning your PC for malware. Sometimes malware causes PC problems, and sometimes it behaves well while it quickly reaches its target in the background. The only way to be sure that you have malware is to examine your system.

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How to check if a process is a virus or not

You may be wondering if A virus has appeared on your computer because a strange process has occurred in the Windows Task Manager that you can open by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc or Right-click on the Windows taskbar and select "Task". Manager".

It is normal for some processes to be displayed here. Click "More Details", if you see a smaller list. Many of these processes have strange, confusing names. That is normal. Windows includes a whole range of background processes, some of which have been added by your PC manufacturer and many applications you have installed.

Malicious malware often uses a large amount of CPU, memory or disk resources and can stand out here. If you're curious if a specific program is harmful, right-click it in the Task Manager and choose Find Online for more information.

If you see information about malware when you browse the process, you're probably a sign of malware. However, do not assume that your computer is virus-free just because a process looks legitimate. A process could be "Google Chrome" or "chrome.exe". However, it can also be malware that takes on Google Chrome's identity and is located in a different folder on your system. If you suspect that you have malware, we recommend that you run an anti-malware scan.

The Find Online option is not available on Windows 7. If you're using Windows 7, you'll need to process the name in Google or another search engine instead.

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How to Scan Your Computer for Viruses

By default, Windows 10 always scans your PC for malware using the built-in Windows security application, also known as Windows Defender. You can, however, perform manual scans.

In Windows 10, open the Start menu, type "Security," and click the Windows Security shortcut to open it. You can also go to Settings> Update & Security> Windows Security> Open Windows Security.

Click "Virus and Threat Protection."

Click "Quick Scan," to scan your system for malware Windows Security performs a scan and outputs the results, so if malware is found, it can be automatically removed from your PC.

If You Want a Second Opinion – Always Good If you're worried that you have malware and your primary antivirus program does not find anything, you can also run a scan with another security application. [19659006] Malwarebytes is recommended and recommended, which combines well with Windows security Protect your PC even more With the free version of Malwarebytes you can manually check for viruses and viruses look for other malware on your PC. The paid version offers real-time protection – but if you only want to test a computer for malware, the free version works flawlessly.

[19659006] Windows 7 does not include built-in antivirus software. For a free anti-virus program, you can download Microsoft Security Essentials and run a scan. This provides similar protection to Windows 10 integrated Windows Defender security software.

If your antivirus application detects malware but can not remove it, run a scan in Safe Mode. You can also make sure your PC does not contain malware by resetting Windows 10 to its default state.